The Epiphany reaction
by Baliol
Summary: When tragedy befalls Penny, she comes to the conclusion that her life has to change. The consequences of this are not what anyone can expect. Set sometime between late season 3 and mid season 4, prior to Howard and Bernadette's marriage. OOC and AU. Shenny.
1. Chapter 1

**The Epiphany Reaction**

Author: Baliol

Rating: T for now

I have no idea how late I am to this party, if all the Shenny fanfictions are done or not. But I felt that I just had to join the fun. It is my first fanfiction, so if anyone is there, please don't hate on it for lack of experience. I take suggestions very literally, so if there is something you want changed about the story, don't hesitate to ask. I have no definite plans for this yet, so there is a lot of leeway. All I know is, Leonard and Amy are going down.

* * *

Another day, another disastrous audition. Penny tumbled up the stairs to 4B, fighting to hold back the sobs that threatened to break out. She had been in California for almost 4 years, and with that came more alcohol, more men leaving her apartment disheveled, and more glares from Leonard. Sheldon didn't seem to care that much, but only because she knew him, and realized that he only cared about himself and his work.

Stumbling into her apartment, she took off her heels, and threw them across the room. The tears were flowing down her face in spades now, and she went straight for the Vodka on her coffee table. Not bothering to pour a glass, she drank half the bottle in only a few swigs. Lately, she had contemplated returning to college, and she joined a history course at Pasadena Community College. All was going well until Leonard found out, he went crazy, criticizing her for not telling him, and he said repeatedly that she should have done that in the first place. More shit about how her acting career was going nowhere, and when she glared at him, he attempted to deflect and say he would always support her. At least Sheldon never lied about the fact that he believed it too. She wished so much that her wackadoodle would come over and complain about how much of a mess her apartment was in now, just to get her mind off of the disaster she was in right now.

* * *

Leonard heard her coming home, and thought it a good opportunity to get sex out of his girlfriend. "Hey Sheldon, I'm going over to Penny's!" He yelled as he ran out the door.

Knocking four times on her door, he tried to hide the smirk he had on his face when she opened the door. "Hey Leonard." She stepped out of the way to let him in, and as she did, he slammed his lips against hers, pulling her hips to his with snaky fingers. After what seemed like forever, he licked her lips with his tongue, and her eyes grew huge. Pushing him away, she yelled "What the hell is wrong with you!" Not understanding this, Leonard barged inside and flopped on the couch.

"I heard you come home, and I thought a little making out would lift your spirits." He truly thought that was what would help, although judging by the pained look on her face only worsening, he surmised that it somehow didn't help.

She closed the door to her apartment, and timidly sat beside him on the couch. "Sweetie, I just had a really rough day at the cheesecake factory, and a failed audition. I need emotional comforting, not physical." With this, Leonard furrowed his eyebrows.

"So, what do you want me to say, that you deserved to get the part, that they were stupid to turn you down?" With this, Penny broke into sobs.

"You are my boyfriend, you should be sad for me that I lost the part!" She was more angry than sad at this point, not knowing why he would treat her this way.

"Penny, come on. You know that you aren't a very good actress, you should have stayed in school to get a good job, not hopelessly run around trying to get noticed by some stupid director." Leaning in for another kiss, Penny put a firm hand on his chest.

"You say that, and then you expect me to just let you have your way with me? Do you think I'm fucking stupid?" She said this with an iciness that Leonard was not comfortable with.

"I'm gonna go with no?"

"How can you seriously not know?! Do you even love me? Or are you just interested in keeping me around because I am your slut that's on beck and call mode?" She was fighting back another round of sobs, when Leonard put his hand on hers.

"You know I love you, but I think its finally time you realized that this acting dream of yours is completely stupid." He tried using his puppy dog eyes to gain some sympathy, "At the moment, your only talents lie in the bedroom, and unless you go back to school, that is where they will stay."

Penny yanked her hand away, "That's seriously all I am to you, aren't I? You don't love me, you love the idea of owning me, lording me over all the nerds? You just want me for my body!" Penny only ever admitted to her mother that her greatest fear always had been that ever since she started dating. And now, she realized that Leonard was no better than all the other Jocks and Meatheads she always dated. Now that she thought about it, he wasn't all that interested at all about listening to her problems, they usually just ended up having sex when he would shut her up with a kiss.

"You know that's not what I think about you."

"Oh yeah? Then why do you constantly show pictures of me to anyone who will listen, or bring me to stuff like Comic-Con just so you can show me off?" The sobs echoed throughout the complex, and she didn't care.

"Says you! I have to deal with you telling me your problems and you are always sad around me! All I want to do is have sex, and you are over here bitching about god knows what! I'm tired of this!" With that, Leonard storms out of the apartment, and across the hall. The last thing she hears from him is his door slamming shut, and she walks to her bedroom with tears falling down her face. She flopped on the bed and cried herself to sleep.

Sheldon was writing equations on his whiteboard when Leonard stormed in. "I suppose from your premature departure that you had another argument with Penny?" He already knew the answer, even though it was common courtesy to ask.

"Shut up Sheldon!" With that, his bedroom door slammed shut, and Sheldon briefly considered going over to 4B to inquire as to what happened, but he decided against it, and he went back to his work


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own big bang, if I did, the show definitely would have steered in the Shenny direction early season 4.

Thank you, guys for the positive reviews! I hit a little writers block, not knowing where I want to take the story, but I am pretty confident I know now. I want it to take a while for them to get together because to me that is the best part, just know that they will. I will try to write more chapters in the coming weeks.

Also, I noticed that some of you had concerns about whether or not Leonard would get hate on. I can guarantee that he most definitely will, as well as Amy. But I do not intend for it to last forever. Everyone deserves redemption.

Rating changed to M, because knowing myself it will quickly turn that way with sexual situations and language. You have been warned.

* * *

Sheldon knew that knocking on Penny's door before 11 am would surely get him punched, and yet he could hardly focus on his work all last night because of the what happened between her and Leonard. He surmised that the doomed relationship was now over once again, and with that the Carnal visitations Leonard was so keen on initiating. He ate his Big Bran with methodical determination and focused on the tv. As it was Saturday, doctor who was on, and he was attempting to focus on that instead of Penny. He had to admit, he was wondering why he even cared about this at all, and only about Penny. The thought that he was concerned for her well-being and emotional stability baffled him, and he had to chalk it down to simple friendly curiosity, even though he did not share the same intrigue about Leonard's well-being.

It was another 2 hours before Sheldon could not deal with it anymore, walking out the door and across the hall, he wondered if Penny would still punch him even at 9 in the morning. He supposed since it was Saturday, she would still be asleep for another 3 hours at the least, and he hesitated only momentarily before doing his customary knocking.

* * *

_Knock Knock Knock _"Penny."

_Knock knock knock _"Penny."

_Knock knock knock _"Penny."

She stumbled into the living room, and lazily opened the door. She had to admit, it was nice to hear his ritualistic knock even though it was so early, she was going to give him a pass just because of the events of last night. "What do you want Sheldon?" She saw him scowl.

"I noticed last night shouting from your apartment, and Leonard subsequently coming home in a fowl mood, is there any particular reason for this development?" The scowl intensified, and she could see his burning blue eyes staring intently at her own, and her stomach fluttered.

"We… we had an argument last night." She was fighting back a new round of tears, and motioned him inside, and he sat down on the couch after scoffing at the even messier apartment than he witnessed last.

"I understand that it is social protocol to not only ask what transpired but also to offer consolation." He was looking at her with a concerned expression, and Penny could see that even though he was feigning disinterest. She thought it was sweet.

Penny had realized after some heavy drinking that Leonard and her should never have gotten together, and that if they ever tried again, they would both end up hurt. And even though he was an ass, she still cared about him, and hated seeing him hurt. "We had a little spat, nothing big. Although I doubt that we are together anymore after last night." She had not intended for that last bit to slip, and prayed that he didn't notice.

Sheldon looked quite puzzled, and after what seemed like forever, he finally spoke. "I fail to see how a 'little spat' could result in the termination of your relationship and coital routines." _Damn, he did notice. _

She shifted uneasily on her side of the couch, and thought about how to phrase the response she knew she had to give. "Well, maybe it was a little more than a spat, but… Its nothing, really." She was lying her ass off now, and biting her bottom lip to hold in the sobs she knew were only mere moments away from breaking out.

He challenged this. "I conversed with Leonard this morning on precisely the same issue. He complained that you were upset over a failed audition and a long shift at the Cheesecake factory. He pointed out that the usual solution of Coitus was shot down, and that after he attempted to console you about your acting career, you exploded in a fit of rage." All her willpower was focused solely on not crying, and she spat the next sentence out without thinking.

"He told me that I was a failed actress, and that my only talents were in the bedroom. He also made it perfectly clear I was only arm candy for him, and he only cared about showing me off and having sex." It was only after the shade of blue in his eyes darkened, that she realized what she had said. _Screw it._ She lunged into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shirt, and sobbed.

* * *

He had no idea what to do, he had always known that his social skills were lacking, and he was challenged especially when it pertained to comforting. He only knew to make a hot beverage during situations such as these. But since he was not in his apartment, he could not use that. "There, there, Sheldon's here," was all he could say. It came out a tad more worried than he was willing to admit. Not knowing what else to do, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer, hypothesizing that this could potentially stop the crying faster.

What perplexed him the most, aside from her sudden outburst of emotion, was his surprising tolerance to it. He had no desire to squirm away, worried more about her emotional health than his own mysophobia. "I just… I don't know what's wrong with me! In 4 years, I've only gotten a hemorrhoid commercial and a play of Anne Frank above a bowling alley! I've been a measly waitress the whole time too! Every boyfriend I've ever had only wanted me for my body, and never cared about my feelings or what I liked!" He noticed that the sobbing only intensified after this statement, and that she clung to him even harder.

He attempted to find a solution to this in his mind, and could hardly think of anything. She was wailing at this point, and realizing that it would only get worse until he managed to say something, he finally opened his mouth without thinking. "The reason many of the male companions you have obtained over the years focus solely on your physical attributes is the result of high amounts of Estrogen cascading through your system. In other words, you are highly appealing to the eye, and as a result, most men you attract tend to be sex crazed homo habilis' degenerates. And on the matter of your failed acting career, it is the result of you needing constant reminders that you are doing adequately. Now while this is not an issue per say, the problem lies in the fact you do not receive adequate emotional support from the previously mentioned male suitors you date. And without said support, your emotional state falters, and you cease to believe in your abilities. The problem is not that you lack the capabilities to act successfully, it is that you do not believe that you can. Were you to obtain a suitor that emotionally supports and encourages you, the probability that you obtain more acting jobs dramatically increases." He realized that the crying ceased near the end of his rant, and wondered as to why.

* * *

She looked up at him with admiring eyes, "Do… Do you really mean that?" She looked at him, expecting an answer. _Please tell me what you said was true, please tell me you believe in me._

"You know everything I say is factually correct, and I cannot lie." An oddly wide smile spread across her face, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Thanks Moonpie, I needed that." She knew then that the crush she had on him was no more. What she was trying to deny, she finally accepted. _I love him_. With that, she drifted off into a peaceful sleep. And the last thing she heard was, _"Only Meemaw can call me that."_

* * *

Not wanting to disturb the sudden silence, Sheldon reached for the remote to her tv, and watched the rest of the now waning marathon of doctor who, surprising himself at how content he was in her arms.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own The Big Bang Theory

Holy crap! 177 views in 1 day! Thank you for all the positive support and all the encouragement, it is really motivating me to continue the story! Expect a lot more chapters a lot sooner.

I have changed my mind in regards to Leonard, at least for this story. I believe he is simply too far gone for any change in character. And as such, I have decided that he will get severely hated on, Amy will get a second chance though.

* * *

It had been 2 weeks since that morning, and even though she hadn't seen him since then, she was finding it harder and harder to keep Sheldon out of her head. She tried going to clubs with Amy and Bernadette, and getting stoned, yet every waking moment held Sheldon in the back of her mind. Amy kept on bragging about how she managed to finally get Sheldon to kiss her, and even hold her hand on movie night. She had caught them in Penny's apartment the morning after that eventful Saturday, and she was livid to say the least.

* * *

2 weeks ago:

_Penny was stirred awake by Amy's shrieking. She realized she was still clinging to Sheldon, and sat up immediately. Sheldon was already awake, eyes wide with either terror, or confusion, Penny couldn't tell. _

"_Sheldon, you will come into the hallway right now mister!" Amy stood in the doorway, a look of venom on her face. She saw Sheldon hang his head in shame, and follow her out into the hallway. The door closed behind them, and Penny couldn't help but put her ear to the door._

* * *

_Sheldon was practically dragged out into the hallway by Amy, and only when they were there, did she finally let go of his arm._

"_Would you mind telling me what that was all about?" Looking into her eyes, he noticed the burning brown piercing into him to the bone. He had never seen her this angry before, and he could not figure out as to why._

"_Last night I heard a quarrel between Leonard and Penny, and sleep eluded me all night. In the morning, I journeyed over to Penny's apartment to inquire as to the events of the previous night, and she let me inside." He stammered, attempting to keep the facial tics to a minimum. "She explained that Leonard said that she was lacked acting prowess, and that her only talents lie in Carnal activities. She started to sob uncontrollably, and as a friend the acceptable social protocol was to console her. So that is what I did."_

_Amy looked suspiciously at the door to 4B, "So then why was she clinging to you?" He knew that she could tell he was keeping something from her, and he caved._

"_When she cried, she clung to me, and as I had no idea what to do, I surmised the best course of action was to not interfere, as if I had done so I most surely would have been given a refresher course in junior rodeo." He knew that he was lying, and hoped she didn't notice. She scowled at him, and her expression softened._

"_Even so, I am banning you from having contact with Penny for the foreseeable future. I am your girlfriend, and you should focus on my needs. Penny has Leonard for emotional support, your presence in her life is not needed."_

* * *

_Penny's heart broke ever so slightly when she heard this, and a fresh round of tears fell and she sprinted to her bedroom. She flopped on the bed, and buried her head in her pillow. She prayed that Sheldon didn't listen to Amy, she couldn't lose him now._

* * *

It was Friday afternoon, and Sheldon was sitting in his office unable to focus on string theory, his mind continually drifted to Penny, and he wondered if he should not have acquiesced to Amy's demand. She started to grow more distant over these last two weeks, and the attitude she was giving off during Pizza night last night were starting to worry him. He always knew he had an odd soft spot for Penny, but he had not expected for her sour mood toward him to affect him as much as it did. He continuously mulled it over until the work day ended. He was only brought out of his trance when Leonard knocked on his open door.

"Hey buddy, you ready to leave?" Leonard was standing in the doorway, a look of confusion on his face. Sheldon noticed that he was glancing at his empty whiteboard next to his desk, and realized that he had not had a blank whiteboard since he was in the prank war with Penny. He had been contemplating ways to get her back when she touched his food, and only after extreme brainstorming had he had the brilliant idea to lock her out of the wifi.

"I suppose that inquiry is correct, as I have done little to no work regarding my latest theory all afternoon." He grabbed his messenger bag and headed with Leonard out into the parking lot. They got in the car, and they were silent the whole way back to Los Robles. Leonard snuck occasional worried glances in Sheldon's direction, and opened his mouth to say something on several of those occasions, yet refrained from doing so.

* * *

They were walking up the stairs, when Leonard had finally had enough. "Sheldon, are you okay?"

"I am in good health, and have no concerns other than as to why you are asking me that pointless question." Leonard bit his tongue to keep from yelling at him, and instead opted for a different approach.

"I mean… You haven't been yourself lately, and you seem distant, is there any particular reason why?" Leonard was getting increasingly agitated, the crazy man was getting on his nerves. He saw Sheldon go pale, and he stammered.

"I… I am fine. Now if you will excuse me, I must go get changed into more suitable attire for vintage video game night." He bolted down the hallway, and slammed his bedroom door behind him.

Leonard stood in the doorway for a while, wondering what that was all about. He concluded that as long as it had nothing to do with Penny, he didn't have to give a shit.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own The Big Bang Theory

So I know that the rating is M, and there has been little incentive to have it that way. Well, now is when it starts to get 'bad' if you will. So from this chapter on, if you are uncomfortable with strong language, sexual encounters, or other adult content, turn away now.

* * *

Penny could not take it anymore. After two weeks of the cold shoulder Sheldon was giving her, it had to stop, and she had to stop it now. After getting home from work around noon, she ate a light lunch and drank a whole bottle of rum. With every sip, the sadness she felt over Sheldon dissipated, slowly replaced by anger. By the end of the bottle, she was seething with rage. She knew it was vintage video game night, so the boys would be home. When she heard Sheldon and Leonard get home, she got up from the couch slowly, her body not responding at the same pace her mind was, and sauntered over to 4A.

BANG BANG BANG "SHELDON!"

BANG BANG BANG "SHELDON!"

BANG BANG BANG "SHELDON!"

She knew Leonard would be there too, and although she hated him at the moment, the thought of not confronting Sheldon quickly dissipated that concern in blistering fury. Leonard opened the door slowly, looking scared, and Penny knew exactly why. _He's only worried about saving his own ass from my rage. _Bursting past Leonard into the apartment, she yelled at him, "WHERE THE FUCK IS SHELDON!?" He sank on his heels from this, and she knew he would cave.

"I… in his room." His voice was a little more than a whisper, but that was all she needed to hear.

* * *

He knew he was lying his ass off when he told Leonard he was coming into his room to change clothes. If anyone was familiar with his schedule and habits, it was Leonard. He just needed some space from Penny and the others for one night, to think things through in a safe space, other than his office. And when he was just starting to get lost in thought, the last person he wanted to see came barging through his door.

"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL SHELDON! I NEEDED A SHOULDER TO CRY ON AFTER MY BREAKUP AND YOU WERE THERE FOR ME! BUT WHEN AMY TELLS YOU TO BACK OFF YOU LISTEN TO THAT SLEAZEBAG?" Penny was jabbing her finger into his chest, and her emerald eyes burned with fury. Sheldon recognized the scent coming off of her as rum, and knew instantly that she was in an inebriated state.

"I was given to understand that when your significant other issues a command regarding the opposite sex you were required to listen." He noticed that although she was still angry, signs of immense sadness were beginning to show, chief among them the stream of tears now rolling down her cheeks. His stomach rolled into knots, and he wondered why that could happen, perhaps his appendix was secreting poisonous compounds into his bloodstream.

"Only shitty girlfriends do that to their boyfriends Sheldon." Her voice was heavy with emotion, and he prepared himself for the coming storm.

"So if I understand this correctly, it is socially acceptable to disregard Amy's command should it entail your emotional stability?"

"No. What I'm trying to say is you can't let your girlfriend control you. I, I needed you and you weren't there for me, Sheldon. Why? Why did you listen to her? Why did you abandon me?" She lurched forward, and wrapped her arms around him. Burying her face into his shirt, she started to wail. He realized that even the Hulk couldn't tear her off of him, so he wrapped her in his arms and sat her down on the bed.

She continued to cry for what seemed like hours to Sheldon, and yet he found he could not bring himself to move. Almost as if some part of him wanted to stay there. He knew he should get himself psychologically evaluated, it had been a long time since Texas.

"I sincerely apologize for my choice regarding Amy Farrah Fowler, it was not my intention to leave you alone in your time of emotional need." He was starting to wonder why Amy would do such a thing, and so he decided that tomorrow he would go to Amy's apartment and test his newest hypothesis.

After returning his attention back to Penny, he realized she was looking up at him now, her eyes sparkled in his dark room. His stomach knotted again, and he had no idea why. The next time he that were to happen, he theorized, it would imply a physiological reaction to Penny's actions. The only thing he could not figure out was why.

"Sheldon?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." And with that, she slammed her lips into his, kissing him hungrily and with impatient fervor. For all but a moment, Sheldon sat there frozen, still unaware as to how he should proceed. But after the few seconds that seemed like an eternity, he began to subconsciously move his lips against hers. A soft moan escaped from her throat as she licked his lips, and he eagerly opened his mouth to meet her tongue with his. When her hand grazed over his growing erection, it snapped him out of the trance. Pulling back, he saw that she was fighting back another round of tears.

"I realize that in your inebriated state, you are prone to bad decisions, I can only assume that was one of such choices." He found himself strangely hoping she said it wasn't.

"No, Sheldon, I really do love you. I can't see you destroying yourself in a relationship with Amy anymore, I can't bear to see you hurting." He sat there utterly stunned, and he knew that by the tone of her voice she was starting to sober. And yet her expression remained of one that is utterly determined.

"If what you say is true, than can you allow me to speak with Amy tomorrow regarding the same issue. I must gather more data before I can make a decision I cannot take back." He realized from the tears escaping from her eyes that he had said something wrong. "I am not implying however that I do not wish to pursue a romantic relationship with you, only that I must see for myself if what you say is true."

A smirk came over her features, "Ask her about the 5 year plan."

"What does that entail?"

"Just ask her. But I have to warn you, if you don't make the right decision by tomorrow, its junior rodeo time." She said as she walked out of his room and out of the apartment with a skip in her step.

* * *

After he kissed her back, Penny knew he had feelings for her, and that is the only reason she tolerated the insult he threw at her. Even so, as she closed her apartment door, she began to cry again. She knew that she had just laid out all her feelings for him, and it could only end two ways, her falling into his arms, or her heart being broken. And she hoped to god that it wasn't the latter.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own The Big Bang Theory

Thanks for the continued support everyone! It really motivates me to keep going.

A side note: Before you read, know that I have been tested, and like Sheldon, I am _**NOT** _crazy.

This chapter is going to have two sections, one with Sheldon and one with Penny, both happen Saturday morning. And a fair warning, this one is **INCREDIBLY**** dark and INCREDIBLY extreme, I cannot stress it enough. **It definitely earns the M rating here, it involves **Rape. ****Turn away now** if you are squeamish, or if you do not hate Leonard or Amy.

* * *

On the way to Amy's apartment, Sheldon's mind was going everywhere at once. Chief among these thoughts was the looming 5 year plan. He had no idea what it was, and by the way Penny described it, it was nothing good. His mind drifted to the night before, and many questions arose. Why did he kiss Penny back? Why did he enjoy it? Why didn't he immediately use mouthwash and take a shower? All these things were expected to happen in his relationship with Amy, not with Penny. And that is exactly what he intended to do.

Walking toward her apartment door, he could not help but feel a bit of apprehension towards what he was about to do, for he knew this would only end one of two ways: Either he will continue his relationship with Amy, or he would terminate it. The latter he found himself strangely hoping would happen, although he knew as a scientist he required more data to proceed.

_Knock knock knock_ "Amy?"

_Knock knock knock_ "Amy?"

_Knock knock knock_ "Amy?"

The door opened, and Amy wordlessly beckoned him inside. As soon as he entered, he slammed his lips into hers, and she quickly reciprocated the kiss. He moved them both to the couch and began to run his hands up and down her body. They parted their lips, and their tongues met, deepening the kiss. The kiss lasted for what seemed like an eternity, and the whole time Sheldon was deep in thought.

Why was he thinking about Penny the whole time? Why was he mentally cursing himself for even attempting this? Why was he not enjoying it? He suddenly remembered the other reason he was here, and he noticed that sometime during his mental escapade she had straddled him, and he gently removed her from his body and sat her down next to him.

"Why did you stop?" She asked, tears suddenly welling in her eyes. Strange, he noticed that even though she was crying, it seemed as though her eyes betrayed no hint of emotion. She couldn't be attempting to manipulate him, could she?

"I was attempting to establish a base of comparison between yourself and Penny. I seem to have gathered sufficient data to proceed." He saw her eyes burn with rage, he continued "Amy, what is the 5 year plan?"

A devilish smirk spread across her face. "It is the way in which I wish to steer our relationship over the next 5 years."

"I see, and what does it entail?"

"I will list the steps chronologically; step one was to get you used to physical intimacy such as handholding and kissing, as well as make date night every Thursday instead of just once a month. Year two, was to wane your energy away from those stupid comics and your friends, so you would focus all your attention on me. Year three is focused on removing you from your current environment and move away with me to New York. Year four is when I will stop your obsession with science, and like the comics, focus all of that attention on me. Year 5, is dedicated to our marriage, and procreation."

He felt strange, he was angry, and yet it was something that was deeper, filled with more hate than even he could possibly fathom. Usually, he never had the urge to hit anyone, and if he did, it was only to knock them upside the head for acting stupid.

Through gritted teeth, he hissed a simple "Why?"

"Because when you signed the relationship agreement you legally bonded yourself to me. You belong to me now, and it is my job to change you in order to best utilize your talents and abilities. And for the meantime they are best suited to catering to me and my research. A mind like yours should not be wasted on string theory." She leaned forward and placed a hand on his lessening erection, "Now, where were we?" And as she leaned in, Sheldon focused all of his willpower on not lashing out into a bloodthirsty rage, and he figured yelling would have to suffice.

Slapping her hand away, he pushed her to the other side of the couch. "NO. I CANNOT DO THIS ANYMORE AMY! THE RELATIONSHIP AGREEMENT IS PERMANENTLY TERMINATED, AND I DO NOT WISH TO EVER SEE YOU AGAIN!" He was screaming at this point, and Amy had sunk into the couch cushions, and a faint whimper escaped from her throat when he slammed the door hard enough to snap it in half.

* * *

Penny was anxiously waiting for the ritualistic knocking when she heard Sheldon depart not an hour earlier. She was torn between hating him for choosing to talk to Amy first, and yet she appreciated that he was loyal. If she did end up dating him, she knew that she would be with him for the rest of her life, and mere months ago she would have been terrified of that, and yet somehow now was different. She couldn't figure out why, though. A knock on the door took her away from her thoughts, and she was slightly disappointed that they did not repeat. "Its open!"

Leonard opened the door, and he had a smug look on his face. He walked over and sat down next to Penny. "We need to talk." He looked her up and down, and she could see the darkening of his eyes indicating heavy lust.

"Do we?" Was all she could say, and it came out a tad meek.

"Yeah, we do, especially now that monkey boy is out of here for now. I thought that we left things on a bad note the other day, and I know that Sheldon hurt you last night. So, I was wondering if there is anything… I can do?" He waggled his eyebrows.

"Gee, Leonard. Is sex all you think about?"

"Noo, but I figured that since you haven't had sex in a while, you might want to. The crazy bastard is out, so you can scream all you want. I will make you come sooo good." He brushed his fingers over the exposed flesh of her thighs, making her twitch.

"You try that, and its junior rodeo time, bucko."

"You know you want to, especially after how crappy Sheldon made you feel." He inched closer.

"No, he didn't. He gave me the emotional support I need, he doesn't just see me as a fucktoy like you do."

"Come on, you know I love you." He reached for her, and her spirit broke.

* * *

Sheldon was fuming climbing up the stairs, he knew Amy had her quirks, but this? He could not fathom that she was capable of something like this. He could only wonder what Penny thought of him now, maybe she thought he chose Amy over her. Maybe she hated him now. He shuddered at the thought. All he knew, was he had to talk to her, he had to hold her in his arms again. Climbing the last flight of stairs, he noticed a faint shriek coming from Penny's apartment, followed by a muffled "Stop." He had no idea what was happening, and figured that knocking was out of the question.

Opening the door, he froze. Both Leonard and Penny were naked, in his spot, Leonard was in her balls deep. He would have thought it was consensual, save for the fact that Leonard had his hand over Penny's mouth and held her wrists above her head with the other. She looked at him with absolute fear in her eyes, begging him to help her.

There it was again, that rage. This time, he had no hope of controlling it.

* * *

Penny was under Leonard, and somehow she had no will to fight what was happening. When Sheldon opened the door, she saw a look of surprise on his face. He was looking at her, and she could easily guess he knew what was happening. His face contorted, and his eyes burned with fury. Without a word, he strode over to Leonard and tore him off of her, and slammed him into the wall. He began to throw punches at his face, and each one landing in a different area. The first knocked several teeth onto the floor, and the second even more. By the time he was done, Leonard was out cold, his face black and blue. Sheldon quickly grabbed her phone and dialed 911, explaining that Leonard had raped her, and she began to sob uncontrollably. He hung up the phone, and picked her up, bringing her to her bedroom.

* * *

Sheldon would have kept on pummeling Leonard, if it wasn't for the fact he could hardly focus on anything but Penny, when he brought her to her room, he lay her on the bed climbing under the covers with her. She clung to him, and he wrapped her in his arms. By the time the police came, the whole front of his shirt was drenched in tears, but he didn't care. They left with Leonard, leaving the two of them still in the bed. Penny cried for another hour or so, until she fell into an uneasy sleep. The last thing he remembers before dozing off himself, was the mantra for sick days he remembered all to well.

"_Soft kitty warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, pur pur pur."_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own The Big Bang Theory

So I know I have been on the Leonard and Amy hate train, but that is what I focused on for the first few chapters. Leonard is almost out of the story, you'll see why later. It is going to now focus on the Shenny aspect, and character growth. Extremely AU from here on out.

PS, sorry for the long wait, COVID-19 and writers block don't help things. (Okay, the wait was way too damn long. I promise not to leave you guys on a cliffhanger like that again.)

* * *

Sheldon woke up at the early hours of the morning, with Penny still curled into his side, and he intended to stay with her for as long as he could, so he knew what he had to do. He silently unwrapped himself out of Penny's embrace, making sure he didn't wake her, and he walked silently to his own apartment. The clock on the stove read 6:35 AM, and he knew that Gabelhauzer would be up by now, so he knew he could call him now. Picking up the phone on the end table next to his spot, he dialed his number.

"Hello, this is Dr. Gabelhauzer," He said.

"Hello, sir. This is Dr. Cooper, and I would like to allocate a week of vacation time this week so I make take care of my emotionally traumatized friend." He tried to say it with as little fury as he could, which took all of his willpower considering that Leonard was still fresh in his mind.

"Absolutely, but if I may ask, what happens to be so important that would make you finally use vacation time?" The question only added to Sheldon's anger.

As calmly as possible, he finally spoke after what seemed like an eternity. "My friend Penny was sexually assaulted by my roommate last night, and she requires somebody's presence at all times for the foreseeable future. And as I just to happen to reside across the hall, I figure I am the easiest choice."

"Wow… Ok. Just let me know when you wish to return to work, you may take a sabbatical as well should you wish. Please accept my sincere condolences, and make sure your friend is taken care of."

"I will, thank you Dr. Gabelhauzer." He hung up.

Sheldon then entered his kitchen, he thought briefly that he could cheer Penny up with something to eat, perhaps a hot beverage. But knowing that Penny preferred human contact and touching, he decided against it.

Entering her apartment, he heard crying coming from her bedroom, and he inferred that she had woken. He swiftly entered her bedroom, and she reached for him like a newborn baby. He obliged, and wrapped her in his arms. Between sobs, he heard her trying to formulate words, and he responded by holding her tighter, rubbing her back in long and gentle strokes. This elicited purrs from Penny.

When she managed to hold back tears long enough, she said "I have to get up for work, Sheldon." His sympathetic look turned to concern and authority.

"You absolutely will not, I have already called the Cheesecake factory and informed them of the events of last night, your manager wishes you well and asks that you take time away to emotionally recover. And if you will not listen, I will force you to stay and recover." He then chuckled, hoping humor could somehow lighten the mood.

She snuggled into his chest even more than she already had, and looked up at him with her emerald eyes. "Thank you for standing up for me, sweetie. I don't even want to think of what would have happened if you hadn't came when you did." She started to shiver, so he held her tighter.

"I was briefly sexually assaulted by Amy after she revealed her five-year plan to me, so I exited the predicament as fast as humanly possible. I apologize for losing control with Leonard, and possibly traumatizing you any more than you already have been." He looked down at her apologetically.

"If anything, that helped. That bastard deserves way more than you gave him, there is a special place in hell for assholes like him."

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Although I don't ascribe to theological ideas, I can understand the metaphor. He does indeed deserve to 'burn in hell' as you put it. I suppose prison will have to be a substitute for now, until he turns up deceased."

"After that little show last night, I am never letting you go honey, you better know that." She moved up and gave him a long, suffocating kiss on the lips. And when she pulled back, his face was scarlett red.

"I find that I am not averse to that idea, actually I find it quite pleasant." A smile broke out on her face that spread from ear to ear, and her eyes betrayed her pure joy mixed with emotional terror. Sheldon wondered why he could see through her smile. "You may be happy that I agree to your terms, but I can see you are putting on a façade of stability, so I can only infer that Leonard's actions last night regarding you are affecting you more than I thought."

She was biting her bottom lip now, tears welling in her eyes. "OF COURSE I'M NOT OKAY! I FUCKING GOT RAPED!" She was shivering to such a degree that Sheldon noticed it was not far off from a seizure, and so he did the only thing he knew how to do in situations like this.

"What do you suppose I do then? How can I help you to recover?"

"J-just, stay here and hold me. I need you Sheldon, now more than ever. Don't leave me…" Sheldon lay down on the bed, and pulled Penny on top of him, and held her tight. They didn't move for hours.


	7. Chapter 7

Hello everyone! I know that I have been slacking on releasing these chapters. So, from now on I will force myself to write at least 1 a week, maybe more. I know it absolutely sucks when people abandon stories, and I am not going to let that happen here.

And as always, I hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

For the next few weeks Penny was trying her best to recover from what happened to her that night. Sheldon had insisted she go see a therapist, and she had to admit that it did wonders for her emotional health. Bernadette came over at least twice a week to check in on Penny, and tried to console her as much as she could. Penny noticed that Sheldon was left alone by Wolowitz and Koothrappali, probably because Leonard was the reason they hung around at all.

Leonard's trial was fast approaching, and both Sheldon and Penny were asked to attend. Penny had initially refused to go, but Sheldon had pointed out that it was a way to get closure on what happened, to know that Leonard would never hurt anyone again.

Tonight was Thursday, and Sheldon had coordinated a meeting with all of their friends in hopes of cheering Penny up. Penny had moved out of her apartment a few days after the incident, claiming there were to many reminders of what happened to her there. Sheldon had little grip on the concept, but he figured that if it kept Penny from having a mental breakdown, all the better.

The pizza was eaten in relative silence for the first half of the night, until Howard managed to muster the courage to ask Penny something that had been nagging him. "Penny, if I may ask, why didn't you just go all junior rodeo on Leonard the moment he came onto you?" Before anyone had any time to react, Raj had already punched him in the arm. Penny had started sniffling, and noticing this, Sheldon pulled her next to him and wrapped her in his arms.

Bernadette was the first to speak, "You don't have to answer that Penny." She glared at Howard with a clear _Your dead meat_ innuendo. Penny wiped at her eyes, and sat up straighter. Grabbing Sheldon's hand in her lap and squeezing it for comfort, she exuded confidence.

"No, Howard is right, you all deserve to know some of what happened that night, and I think it is best if I tell you what I was thinking at least," she said. Her therapist had been helping her get over her fear of talking about it, and she was told she was making remarkable progress. "I didn't struggle because I was already down in the dumps, and when he came onto me, my spirit broke. I couldn't bring myself to fight back as crazy as that sounds."

"Yeah… But why?" Was all Howard could say.

"Howard, I love you, but SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Bernadette squealed. Howard sank back in his seat and yielded to her demands.

"I don't feel comfortable with any of this, and I am far from being recovered, but if anything, I hope to come out of all of this stronger. My therapist has helped me through all of this, and Sheldon has been my rock." Penny snuggled into Sheldon's side. "To be quite honest, I have no idea where I would be if it wasn't for him, he was the one who pulled Leonard off of me. He encourages me to seek help and step outside of my comfort zone, he believes in me when I don't believe in myself. I think I finally realize something. I am done trying to change for other people." She was massaging Sheldon's hand and tracing circles on his palm. "I tried to become what Leonard wanted me to be, a horny sex addict who was entirely dependent on him, I tried to change for Kurt, into the same thing as I did with Leonard. I think that Kurt and Leonard were pretty similar, they wanted to fool around with other women and do whatever they wanted. And they still wanted me there at the end of the day to do whatever they wanted with. In a shorter term, as a blonde bimbo who was nothing but arm candy."

"So, if that's true, why did you stay with Leonard for so long?" Howard said. Bernadette silently grabbed him by the hand and dragged him out of 4A, and locked the door behind him.

Penny looked at the door and chuckled, and decided to answer his question anyway. "I stayed with him because I thought he was safe. That he wouldn't leave me for someone better looking or someone who was smarter. He kept pining for any affection I would give him. And I thought that by staying with him I could be happy. But it turned out I was wrong." She looked around the room at the 2 friends who were left. "I have decided that I am going to quit my job at the cheesecake factory and focus solely on acting, I know I can get my break if I try hard enough."

Bernadette jumped up and down squealing, furiously clapping her hands. "I am so happy for you, I know you can do it!" Raj looked happy, and gave her 2 thumbs up. Sheldon had been the one to suggest that focusing on bettering herself would help with her self-image. She couldn't think of a better way than pursuing her dream with all of her energy poured into it.

The rest of the night went by quickly, with Howard periodically asking if he could be let in, with Bernadette screaming at him in response. And when they all left, Penny was still curled up into Sheldon's side, and he stroked her hair slowly.

* * *

"Thank you, sweetie." Penny said.

Sheldon looked down, confused as to what she could be referring to. "What have I done to warrant such a statement?" He asked quizzically.

"For everything." And she leaned up and kissed him.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its characters.

So I know that I've been pretty hard on Penny for the first few chapters, but now that **MOST** of the bad stuff has happened, I'm going to focus on Penny bettering herself. Like… Maybe her acting career?

* * *

It was only 3 days till Leonard's trial, and because of the evidence and eyewitness testimonies, Sheldon told everyone that there would be a good chance that the outcome could be good or bad, simply because of the actions he took following the event. She had been incredibly nervous from this since he said it, even though she was confident enough in herself to be able to confront him about it. She had gotten a part in a commercial about makeup, and they had finally said that she was just right for the part. It wasn't much, but Penny would take anything she could get.

* * *

Sheldon had noticed that Penny was very uneasy being that it was only a few days till Leonard's trial. He decided that it would be best to attempt to keep her mind off of it by doing things that he thought she would like. Being that she was enamored with fashion, specifically shoes, he had the perfect idea. He was at work when he thought of it, and soon after his whiteboards were filled to the brim with equations and solutions to Penny's stress. The twitch that he noticed happened during events of high stress occurred again. His usual tactic of kolinahr had ceased to be effective. So at this moment, he was forced to deal with it. It was as if he acquired a spontaneous allergy to stress. _Strange._ He would have to research it later.

Believing he had sufficient distracting mechanisms in place for Penny, he set about formulating a schedule for them to follow for the next 3 days. He would take her shoe shopping on Saturday; on Sunday they would stay inside watching Sex and the City. Even though he despised the shows premise, he would allow himself one night of torment to alleviate some of Penny's emotional duress. And on Monday, the day before the court appearance, he would simply eat Thai food with her. He found that she appeared to be at her happiest on Mondays, with the rest of their social group talking about current events or engaging in fatuous chit chat.

* * *

Penny woke up to Sheldon knocking on her door, and looked over at her alarm clock. It read 11:00. _Whackadoodle. _She deliriously shuffled to her door, and opened it slowly. He had a mischievous grin on his face, and she knew that he had something planned for the day. She inwardly groaned at the possibility. Maybe the train museum, comic book store?

"Hello, Penny."

"What do you want, sweetie?" She said.

"I come to inquire as to the status of your mental fragility. As well as ask you whether you would be amenable to spending the day with me at events of my choosing?" He looked at her hopefully, almost as if it was for her benefit to say yes.

"Sure, as long as it isn't that god forsaken train museum, we've been there way too many times." He glared at her as she teased him.

"I would normally be quite angry at that statement, but seeing as though I have a perfect day planned for us, I believe your good mood later on will be adequate restitution." That damn smile of his was back, the one that made her melt inside.

"If you give me 30 minutes to get ready, sure." She was really dreading this. As much as she loved spending time with Sheldon, she knew that when he planned the days events it usually resulted in a tedious visit to a train related venue. She ate breakfast and threw on some shorts and a cute yellow top that hugged her curves. She slipped on her hello kitty flip flops and sauntered into the living room where Sheldon was waiting by the door. She rolled her eyes and walked with Sheldon out to her car.

When they got in, a question she was meaning to ask finally slipped. "So, are you going to tell where we're going, or am I gonna have to guess on the go?"

He shifted in his seat as she saw him roll his eyes. She gave him a playful scowl in return. "I believe in the context of todays events it is paramount that you do not know where we are going until we arrive at the destination."

She groaned and started the car. As they drove, her eyes grew wider by the second, they were driving into the more affluent part of town, and were passing into the parking lot with all of the fashion stores. And when they finally stopped, Penny was speechless. They were in front of the most expensive shoe store in Pasadena, where all of the shoes were a minimum of 500 dollars. Sheldon got out of the car.

"This is our stop, and I believe that you would be agreeable to going inside?" He looked at her quizzically.

"In… Into the shoe store?" She was soooo hoping he would say yes.

* * *

He sighed, he knew what her reaction would be as soon as he gave confirmation. "Yes." She squealed and swiftly got out of the car. Her arms were around his midsection in less than 3 seconds.

"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" She screamed.

"I am allowing you to choose one pair of shoes with a spending limit of 1,200 dollars, and I will pay." He looked at her seriously. "But please, refrain from attacking my person for the remainder of the outing."

"Sure, whatever whackadoodle." He saw her skip into the store.

* * *

Walking out of the store with a nice new pair of 5-inch heels, Penny forgot all about the trial, focused only on the 1,000 dollar shoes in her hands. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think she would have these shoes, they were after all the best pair she'd ever laid eyes on.

"Thank you so much Sheldon, what can I do to return the favor?" She felt like she owed him bigtime right about now, and she was always repaid them, _one way or another, wink wink. _

"I believe that is adequate restitution for the Leonard Nemoy napkin. I have been saving this outing for a time of high stress, so as to alleviate some of it." He smiled at her as they drove home.

"I love you, Sheldon." She had no idea if she could fall more in love with him than she was right now. She saw Sheldon smirk to himself, yet he remained silent.


	9. Chapter 9

Trial time. Please note that I have next to no knowledge of what happens in a courtroom, so don't get pissed if I don't get things right.

* * *

Penny woke up on Monday morning, her stomach churning with dread. She could only wonder what could happen if Leonard got away with raping her. The thought was enough to make her hurl. Reluctantly rolling out of bed, she saw the time, 8:00. The trial started in a mere 2 hours, and Penny was visibly shaking. Just when she was about to pass out, Sheldon knocked on her door. When he finished, she opened the door for him, and saw he had some donuts. She smiled.

* * *

At 9:30, the pair hit the road, intent on making an early appearance to the courthouse. During the drive, Sheldon saw that Penny was jittery.

"Are you adequately rested, Penny?" He said with genuine concern.

"Yeah, sweetie. I'm just wondering what I'm going to do if that creep gets away with it." He noticed her shudder at the thought.

"I cannot deny that there is a possibility he will be found not guilty. But even should that happen, I will not let him come near you." He massaged her shoulder to hopefully alleviate some of the stress, and she softened under his touch.

A small smile spread across her face, "Thank you."

They neared the courthouse, and were ushered in for the trial. Come 10, the judge got everyone's attention. "We are here today to try Leonard Hofstadter for the rape of Penelope Queen. Bring in the defendant." With that, Leonard appeared through a door, clad in an orange jumpsuit and he was in shackles. Both Penny and Leonard's families had come to Pasadena to attend the trial, and Sheldon noticed the difference of moods between the two families. It appeared to him that Leonard's family were fighting a sad emotion, most likely shame. While Penny's family, especially her father Wyatt, were angry. Wyatt was staring daggers at Leonard, and it was almost as if he would attack Leonard if he was given the chance.

The judge slammed his gavel on the desk. "Now that the defendant is at the stand, we shall proceed." Leonard's lawyer was to go first, and he got up from his seat.

"For our first witness, we would like to call Penelope Queen to the stand." Sheldon saw Penny's face pale, and she was gripping Sheldon's hand with extreme force. He leaned over and attempted to comfort her.

"You can do this, Penny. I believe in you." His words seemed to give Penny the resolve she needed to approach the stand. When she got there, she sat down warily.

The judge spoke. "Penelope Queen, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

She let out a meek "Yes."

Leonard's lawyer strolled over to Penny confidently, and he opened his mouth to speak. "Penelope, were you not in a prior relationship with the defendant?" Penny nodded. "And when you were together, did he ever make any inappropriate sexual advance toward you at any point?"

"It was never non-consensual. But he never wanted anything except sex." Penny said.

"So you admit, that while you were engaged romantically with the defendant, that he never raped you?" She nodded. "And when the supposed assault happened, could it be implied that he thought you wanted intercourse with him then as well?" He said.

"I mean, I pushed him away and told him that I didn't want to sleep with him that night."

"But, at any point during your relationship with him, did you say the exact same thing?" Penny nodded. "And during these nights, was it simply because you simply were not in the mood, or did you not want to have intercourse with him specifically?"

"Most of the time it was because I was tired, but after a while I started to tire of sleeping with him. He never appreciated me as a person, only the sex." She looked to Sheldon, and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"And during the night of the sexual assault, did you voice your disapproval of the act during the intercourse?"

"I sort of lost my will to fight, especially after he put his hand over my mouth." Slight gasps were heard from the crowd, as well as the jury. The lawyer glared at Penny.

"No further questions at this time." He walked back to his seat.

Penny shuffled quickly back to her seat next to Sheldon, and grabbed his hand.

After the prosecutor took her turn, and an intermission, Leonard's lawyer was allowed his turn to call a witness. "For our second and final witness, we would like to call Sheldon Cooper to the stand."

* * *

Sheldon got up, Penny reluctantly releasing his hand. Turning toward the stand, he walked up and sat down.

The judge spoke. "Sheldon Cooper, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" Sheldon inwardly sighed in dissatisfaction at that last word.

Abiding by formality, he let out a simple "Yes."

The lawyer walked over to him. "Sheldon, were you friends with the defendant prior to the events of October 5th?"

"Yes, I was." Sheldon replied.

"And during your friendship, did you notice any lecherous behavior from the defendant?" Sheldon nodded. "But did he ever actively pursue women in a malevolent way?"

"In my presence, no, he has not." Sheldon said.

"And has Penny ever spoken to you about her dissatisfaction about the direction her relationship with the defendant was taking?"

"No, she never has."

"So, there was no prior indication that an event like this could have happened?"

"No."

"What actions did you take when you saw what was occurring?" The lawyer asked.

"I tore him off of Penelope, and proceeded to punch him until he was no longer conscious." He said, hanging his head in shame.

"No further questions at this time." The lawyer sat down.

The prosecutor stood up, and walked over to Sheldon. She said "Sheldon, when you entered Penelope's apartment, what did you see occurring between her and the defendant?"

"I saw Leonard Hofstadter in the middle of intercourse with Penelope. His left had was over her mouth, and his right hand held her wrists above her head." He said.

"And when you looked over to Penelope, what did she do?"

"She looked at me with a look of utter panic on her face, and attempted to struggle under Leonard's weight. I believe this was done to attempt to convey what event was taking place."

"And what event was that?"

"Leonard Hofstadter was preforming coitus on Penelope without her consent. In Layman's terms, rape." Sheldon said.

"When you assaulted the defendant, one could assume it was done under a state of extreme emotional duress?"

"Yes." Sheldon looked over to Penny, and she nodded her approval.

"No more questions at this time."

After that, the jury was sent into the back to come up with a verdict. It took much longer than Sheldon expected, and with each passing moment, he grew more nervous. He knew that the longer it took to decide, the more likely that he would be set free. After more than 4 hours, the jury seemed to have finally decided. Penny clung to him as the judge was handed the paper containing the verdict. Sheldon put his arm around Penny, bringing her closer.

Looking over at Leonard, he was looking at Penny with a smug expression.

The judge slammed his gavel, and everyone turned to him. "The jury founds the defendant Leonard Hofstadter, guilty as charged in the rape of Penelope Queen. He is hereby sentenced to 20 years in prison without chance of parole." Penny's family cheered, while Leonard's looked shocked. Penny melted in Sheldon's arms, and he smiled to himself. After the trial, the two rode home with smiles plastered on their faces. When they entered their apartment, Penny immediately hugged Sheldon, and he was pushed down into his spot. She straddled him, and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.

"I take it that after today's events you are satisfied?" She responded by nuzzling into his shoulder.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10.**

* * *

They stayed like that until both fell asleep from extreme exhaustion, and only woke when Raj knocked on the door the next morning, telling Sheldon to get ready for work. Sheldon knew that there was no way he could entangle himself from Penny's embrace without waking her, so he thought it best to simply go for it.

_Tap tap tap 'Penny' tap tap tap 'Penny' tap tap tap 'penny.'_

She stirred, and asked "Honey, what time is it?"

"It is 6:32 in the morning, and my presence is required at Caltech." She nodded, allowing him to get up and ready himself. Quickly showering, he grabbed an emergency breakfast kit from under his bed, silently congratulating himself that he finally found a use for it. Exiting the apartment after Penny gave her goodbyes, he was met with a concerned Raj.

"How is she holding up?" He asked.

"I believe that after yesterday's events, she is somewhat at ease." Sheldon said as they walked down the stairs and reached the 4th floor landing.

Raj asked the burning question, "How are you doing?" Sheldon's eyes bugged out at this inquiry, mostly due to the fact that he believed everyone's efforts should be solely focused on Penny for the time being.

"Is that is truly what is important at this time?"

"Dude, you walked in on the woman you love being raped by your best friend." Sheldon stopped as he continued. "It is pretty normal to be shaken by this sort of thing." Sheldon couldn't believe what he had heard. He just assumed all he had done for Penny was what any of them would do. But did he love her? The only women he loved were his Meemaw, his Mother, and Missy. He had never had strong feelings for anyone outside his family, at least that is what he believed.

"What evidence do you have to reiterate that assertion?" He said, hoping against hope that he hadn't fallen in love with Penny as quickly as Raj believed.

"Dude, you spend practically every waking moment with her. 3 days before the trial, you went out with her and spent 1,000 dollars on shoes for her. And, she is the only one that can touch you without you going and taking a shower." Raj looked at him smugly, as they finally continued down the stairs.

Thinking about it, Raj did have fairly good points, but Sheldon was a bit apprehensive to believe that he could fall for a Homo Sapien. He was too far evolved to become emotionally entangled with one such as Penny.

"Hokum." Sheldon replied.

"I have seen you kiss her." Raj said smugly. Sheldon's eyes widened with the realization that he had indeed fallen for Penny. He considered the possibility that this had all come about from her being raped by Leonard, or because of the breakup that had occurred between them mere days prior. He could not pinpoint exactly when his feelings for Penny had shifted.

He and Raj exited the building, and entered his car. Sheldon looked over to Raj pleadingly.

"But… What am I to do with the feelings I possess?" He asked.

"The only piece of advice I can offer, is to simply tell her how you feel. From everything you have done for her these past few weeks, I would find it pretty hard to believe that her feelings for you haven't shifted as well." Raj's eyes got dreamy, being the hopeless romantic that he was. Sheldon rolled his eyes. "And dude, I've seen the way she looks at you. She is head over heels for you."

"That is preposterous. She could only have romantic feelings for me, if she was somehow inclined to have such feelings beforehand." Sheldon looked at Raj with his characteristic eye roll, head shake. "And based upon my unappealing personality, that is a statistical impossibility."

"She has totally warmed up to you these last few years. These last few months have just seen these feelings come to the forefront." It was as if Raj had no comprehension of his surroundings. And Sheldon thought that it was best to end the conversation, considering there was a miniscule chance that he could come out on top.

They got to Caltech in relative silence, and headed inside.

After a few hours of work, Sheldon headed for the cafeteria, unconsciously cringing when he saw men near his female colleagues. He had no idea as to why. When he got into the cafeteria, he stopped dead in his tracks. He witnessed a not all to unfamiliar sight. Kripke, once again blinded by his lecherous mind, was pursuing a woman. Sheldon recognized her as Mandy Chow. She was backed into a corner by Kripke, and it only ended when she slapped him, and ducked under his arm to escape.

He looked like a wounded animal, stopping his expression only when he spotted Sheldon. He strolled over to him with a smirk on his face.

"Hey Coopew!" He drawled with his signature speech impediment.

"Kripke." Sheldon attempted to keep it formal.

"How's woxanne? She doing awight now that Hofstadtew is in pwison?" Sheldon's eye started to twitch, holding back what he could barely identify as fury, mixed with… _Something else._

"She is recovering within satisfactory parameters." He said.

"Mmm, I bet she is. Maybe she needs a weel man, now. Mind if I come over wata?" He said, and Sheldon screamed, socking him in the jaw without thinking. Barry's eyes rolled into the back of his head, as he fell to the ground unconscious. Sheldon curled into a ball on the floor, hugging himself as he screamed.

* * *

Penny woke up at 1:34 in the afternoon with her phone ringing. Looking at the caller ID, she saw it was the Pasadena hospital. She rolled her eyes, wondering what Sheldon believed he had this time. Picking up the phone, she answered.

"Hello?" She said.

"This is Doctor Stephanie, are you Sheldon Cooper's emergency contact, Penelope Queen?" Penny got all warm inside knowing that She was his emergency contact.

"Yes, why?" She was still going to punish Sheldon when he got home, likely taking away his comic books for wasting her time.

"He has been diagnosed with PTSD, after he had an episode at Caltech." Stephanie said.

Penny froze, not knowing what to do.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for the super long wait you guys. I got COVID-19 and felt like garbage for weeks, so I am going to release 3 chapters this week to make up for it. :)**

**One more thing though, do you want longer chapters? I feel like these may be way too short.**

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Penny was furious as she went up the stairs leading to the Pasadena county hospital. She was mad at Sheldon for not focusing on his own needs enough, now it came to bite him in the ass. He was always too stubborn for his own damn good. Walking up to the check in desk, she fought to keep her hands from balling into fists just quite yet.

A snotty old lady looked at Penny with derisive eyes. "Hello miss, what can I help you with." She said with the heavy venom of sarcasm.

Stuffing down her anger, Penny said "I'm here to see Sheldon Cooper." The lady grinned from ear to ear.

"Your who they called to come get the crazy man, huh? I wish I could say I didn't feel bad for you." She was still smiling when she told Penny the room number and said he was open for visitation so long as his first diagnosed PTSD trigger was avoided, which seemed to be men coming onto Penny. Walking toward his room, she came up with numerous ways to vent her anger, ranging from strangulation to castration, but she decided that a good earful would be good enough. When she got into the room, Sheldon was laying on the bed reading a flash comic. He seemed to be serenely calm, almost as if he hadn't just collapsed into a puddle of Sheldon screaming his ass off.

"SHELDON FUCKING COOPER!" Penny yelled.

Sheldon looked over at her with half lidded eyes. "Hello Penny." He said drearily. "You may have inferred that I am not my usual cheery self. After I had my 'incident' I was carted off to the hospital and administered various forms of depressants. Thus, I am reduced to an emotionless husk for the time being."

She sped over to his side, and jabbed her finger into his chest. "Why were you such a dumb shit?" She asked.

He looked at her, obviously doubting her sanity. "I can assure you, I was not a 'dumb shit.' I have an-" He was cut off by Penny finishing his sentence.

"IQ of 187, yeah, yeah." She said sardonically. "My point is, you were so focused on me that you didn't think about how it was affecting you. You had me worried sick!" She lightly slammed her fists onto his chest as a few tears escaped.

Sheldon looked to be in deep thought before he replied. "I am aware that I have been more affected from Leonard's bout of poor decisions than I have led even myself to believe."

"No shit."

"Language, Penny."

"No no no… You don't get to say '_Language Penny.'_" She said in an imitation of his voice, and he scowled at her. "When you make me almost have a panic attack when I found out you had a PTSD episode so bad that your in the hospital for it!" She went back to lightly smacking him in the chest, to show him she wasn't kidding around. "I swear to God, Sheldon Lee Cooper. You are going to go to therapy for this, and I won't take no for an answer. I'm also going to sleep in your bed to make sure your ok through the night." She would have smiled mischievously had it not been repressed by anger and sadness. His eyes twitched to a great extent. She rolled hers.

"But… But…" Sheldon began, but was shut up by Penny pressing her lips to his. After a few minutes of kissing, she began to hear the heart rate monitor beep quite frequently. Looking up, she saw his pulse was 110 bpm. She smirked.

"And when you try to argue, I'm gonna do that every time." She said.

"While I must admit that method would likely have a 100% success rate, I do not appreciate having my person violated constantly throughout the day." He looked up at her with a derisive expression on his face.

She beamed, "Too bad buster. I'm your girlfriend, that means I get to kiss you whenever the hell I want."

"Is that relational statute under the reciprocity clause?" He said.

"Only when you get better. For now, only I get to do that." She waved her hand around, indicating she was about to reference the situation they were in. "Think of it as punishment, for being stupid." She finished.

"And how long is this supposed consequence going to endure?" He asked hopeful. _Damn right, he better want to kiss me,_ she thought.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "As long as I feel I want it too, until you learned your lesson."

He scoffed. "That is far too vague, how am I supposed to satisfy my carnal needs?" He said.

She giggled. "You better get good at jerking it, I guess."

"Rest assured, I have no intention of masturbating." A sly grin spread across his face. "And perhaps when you resume my kissing privileges, I may have a better idea than simple physical contact."

She was a little taken aback, becoming nervous. "Are you talking about sex?" He nodded. "Damnit Sheldon, I just got raped not too long ago, sex is a long way off." She saw a confused look on his face.

"Then how do you suppose you will satisfy your needs?" He asked.

"I won't." She moved closer to him. "And when we do end up having sex, that means it is going to last a very long time."

He groaned slightly. "When can I expect such an event to occur?" He said eagerly.

"Give it time, Sheldon. Right now, all I want is company, I'm not ready for sex yet." She stroked her hand across his face as he sighed defeatedly.

"Very well. I must concur that your reasoning is logical."

She smacked his chest playfully. "Oh, don't be like that Moonpie." He glared at her, which only caused her to giggle. "I want you too, sweetie. If I was never raped, I'd drag you to my bedroom and wouldn't allow you to leave for a week."

He looked content. "I suppose that is enough consolation for now." She leaned back in, and captured his lips once more.


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry I didn't uphold my promise, I just got bombarded with college stuff. I've hardly had time to breathe these last few days because of all the stuff I've had to do.**

**Beware, the Lemons have come!**

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After a few more hours they were discharged from the hospital, and Penny reprimanded Sheldon the whole way back to Los Robles, albeit in a more playful manner than mere hours before. The doctor had explained that Sheldon would have to partake in a group therapy session for people suffering from PTSD, as well as one on one with a psychiatrist. When they got back to 4A, Sheldon was looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"What now, Sheldon?" Penny said, exasperated.

"I find it puzzling as to why I have been diagnosed with a mental disorder, and you have remained unscathed. Despite having been affecting more severely than I had been." Sheldon said.

Penny put her head in her hands, and hesitated before answering. "Because, you moron. I didn't ignore what was happening. I knew I needed help, and I got it. You needed it too, but your stubborn ass decided not to get any."

"I was not aware that it was my fault. I suppose it could be chalked up to the fact I catered to you far too often to discover symptoms of PTSD before a severely symptomatic episode occurred. I do not regret it, as you were far more psychologically damaged than I had been." He said almost robotically.

"Even though I appreciate your concern for me, because of you I have to take care of a stressed out Man-baby." She looked over at him, hoping he would pick up on the hint.

Sheldon's brows furrowed. "Who is this other fellow? Why haven't I met him? And where is he now?" He hadn't.

Penny sighed. "That 'fellow' is you, whackadoodle."

* * *

"Well if you were eluding to me, you could have showed the courtesy of explaining that to me." He was irritated to no end at that point, mirroring Penny's own discomfort.

"You know, you may be super freaking smart, but you are also super fucking dumb too." She was beginning to giggle.

"What has humored you so?" Sheldon said with genuine wonder. Penny began to laugh hysterically, hands smacking on her thighs as tears streamed down her cheeks. It didn't subside for a few minutes, by which point, Sheldon was growing increasingly agitated. He scowled, and moved to the kitchen to make himself a hot beverage. Chamomile tea seemed to be the perfect temporary solution to his issues. When he began to make his tea, that seemed to only stoke the fire of Penny's amusement. She began coughing in tandem with her laughing fits, and did not subside till well after he had made the beverage and sat back in his spot.

Finally, the laughter emanating from her began to die down, and that is the opening Sheldon took. "I believe I am having a hard time deciphering whatever it is that has caused you to laugh. Nary a moment goes by where I don't wonder what goes through your peculiar mind."

She wiped the tears away with her forearm. "Moonpie, that was so you!" She began. "Only you would get upset over someone laughing, and not knowing what it was. And then you made tea afterwards!" She began to laugh again, and Sheldon rolled his eyes. He retreated to his room for the remainder of the evening.

He fell asleep for what seemed like less than 5 minutes before she opened his door, knocking as she did so. He rolled over into a fetal position, facing opposite the door. Undeterred, Penny sat down on his bed, putting her hand on his waist comfortingly.

"I'm sorry I laughed at you sweetie, its just that what you do is pretty funny sometimes." She said.

Sheldon scoffed. "I believe laughing at one's idiosyncrasies is symptomatic of bullying. Thusly, I ask that you leave my room." He said with vicious intent.

She laid down, cuddling against his back. "Sweetie, do you think I was laughing at you because what I thought you were doing was stupid?" She asked.

"Indeed I do." He replied.

She kissed behind his ear before responding. "No honey, I love your quirks, It's a big part of who you are." She attempted to comfort him. "That doesn't mean that something can't be funny, and if I laugh at you, don't take it personally, ok?"

Sheldon doubted that, "Why should I believe that?"

Penny tried a different tactic. "What about this, You know that face I make when I'm trying to understand your work?" He smirked as he nodded. "Exactly, you know that's funny, but you don't think any less of the person just because they think that. That is the same way I view your quirks."

Sheldon pondered this for a moment. "So if I am interpreting this correctly, just because you laugh at me, it doesn't imply that you are attempting to put me down?" He asked, and she nodded against his neck, giving a curt 'uhuh.' "I believe that clears things for me. But in the future, do refrain from doing things I have no knowledge of without giving me proper exposition afterwards."

"Sure sweetie."

"Now if you could please allow me to extricate myself from your embrace, as I seem to be developing an erection due to this close proximity." He blushed as he said it.

* * *

Without saying a word, she flipped him onto his back, spreading his legs as she sat between them. "No can do, Moonpie." A smirk spread across her features, and Sheldon's heart rate increased to a frantic pace.

He stumbled over his words, "What… What are you doing?" He asked.

Her hands ran up and down his thighs, and finally stopped at the top of his pants. She hooked her thumbs into his pants and briefs, and began to pull down slowly. "Well, I think this gives me the perfect opportunity to both make it up to you, as well as solve your… Fairly large problem here." She was lost for words. When she got his pants low enough to free him, she giggled. He had his hands over his erection, as she pushed his shirts up to give her room to work. She looked up at him with half-lidded eyes. "No need to hide it from me sweetie, you have a nice dick." She said, biting her lip. She may not be ready for full on sex yet, but that doesn't mean there aren't other alternatives.

Pushing his hands away allowed her to gaze upon her prize in its full glory. Her eyes bugged out as she wrapped her hand around it, bringing it closer to her mouth. It was likely 9-10 inches, with a nice girth.

"Aesthetically pleasing, indeed." She cooed. Sheldon was writhing under her now, his hands flew into her hair. She placed a tiny lick on the head as she stroked him slowly. The low, deep moan he gave only egged her on more. She could feel her fluids lubricating her inner walls. Licking her lips, she slowly took his head into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it in the process.

* * *

The sensations he was experiencing at that moment were indescribable. Pleasure like he has never felt before rocketed through his body, and made his whole body shiver. When she slowly sunk down his erection, his eyes closed and his mouth opened slightly. What he quickly noticed, is that she did not possess a gag reflex, as she was able to take him all the way into her mouth without gagging. She began to pick up speed, one of her hands going to his balls to gently massage them as she worked. He realized he was very close to orgasm already. After several failed attempts to warn her, he finally managed to let out a slight squeak, his cock twitching in her throat. When she fully descended once more, she looked up at him, and something in her eyes told him she knew.

She was working up and down his erection at incredibly fast pace now, going all the way up to his tip, and going all the way down until her nose touched his pelvis. He groaned loudly, shooting his seed into the back of her throat. She didn't have to swallow, as she was all the way down him now, and kept her head there till he was spent. When she finally came up for air, she was gasping for it. She gingerly tucked him back into his pants and got them both under his covers, cuddling up to him.

As he wrapped his arms around her, he wracked his brain for an explanation for this behavior. "Why did you fellate me?" He finally said.

"Because you clearly needed the relief, and it got us even." She said. "And, when I got a good look at that beautiful cock of yours, I just couldn't resist."

"Fair enough." And with that, they both drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each-other's arms.


	13. Chapter 13

**I sort of forgot about this chapter, I just wanted to get something out.**

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When Sheldon woke up, he felt a sense of euphoria he hadn't felt before. Perhaps self-pleasure was overrated now that he had a girlfriend. He had been suppressing his libido by masturbating once a day, although it had been losing its effectiveness over the months he had been dating Penny. And now that he had been fellated by her, he wondered if he could even do so again. Looking down at the object of his thoughts, she looked serene resting her head gently on his chest, her leg swung over his body. Somehow, she sensed he was awake, and her eyes opened slowly.

Looking up at him, she smiled. "How are you feeling, Moonpie?"

He already regretting telling her she could call him that. He Suppressed the irritated sigh that was mustering in his throat. "I am seemingly mentally conflicted."

She furrowed her brow. "Why?"

He looked toward the ceiling. "After what happened last night, I believe that it may be impossible to masturbate anymore. My libido seems to specifically demand that I sate it with you."

She smiled, "That's how its supposed to be, sweetie."

He started to worry. "But you are not ready for any amorous activity, so therein lies the issue."

She giggled while shaking her head. "If you couldn't tell, what I did last night was me telling you I'm ready for some of it."

He looked at her hopefully, "and just how much do you suppose we could participate in?"

"Well, I've already given you a blowjob, so maybe… Reciprocity?" She looked at him hopefully.

Sheldon was confused, however. "What would this paradigm entail?"

"Sweetie, I'm asking you to eat me out." His eyes almost bugged out of his skull.

"Re-really? Bu-but…" He sighed, "I suppose that is only fair. The way you fellated me last night was rather extraordinary."

She rolled her eyes. "Sheldon, just call it a blowjob, will you?"

"But that is not the technical term. I would begin my descent into insanity were I to acquiesce to incorrect terms." He said.

"Look, I know you probably aren't ready for it yet, so we can do it when you feel like it." She ran her hand up his arm comfortingly.

"I did not say that I was unwilling, merely that fellatio is how it is correctly spoken."

She looked at him, surprise coloring her features. "Really?"

"Indeed. However, it will take a period of time to be able to overcome my mysophobic tendencies."

She nodded in understanding, and changed the subject. "What about breakfast?" He looked at her with a bemused expression. She silently cursed herself, "Right, right, French Toast day."

After Sheldon had made the French Toast, he plated some for the both of them, and they sat down at the kitchen island. Penny looked at her boyfriend, wondering how she can apologize again for what she said yesterday, because she felt really bad about it.

"Look… I'm really sorry about my reaction to the situation yesterday. Its just that I care about you so damn much, and when you don't seem to care about your own health, it made me really scared."

He paused in the middle of making a smiley face on his piece of French Toast, and looked up at her with a warm expression. "I believe that the 'blowjob'" he emphasized the word, and she snorted. "Is enough restitution, rendering your apology just now, quite unwarranted."

"Still though, I needed to say that, just so you know I feel bad."

He attempted to comfort her. "Rest assured, no hard feelings persist."

"Good." She said.

* * *

After finishing breakfast, they attempted to find something to do for the rest of the day, because they both took off the day after the trial too. They decided on going to put put golf, after Sheldon's incessant begging. During this, Penny thought it a good of time as any to ask what had been lurking in the back of her mind for the past few weeks.

"Hey Sheldon, what happens now?" She asked.

Sheldon stopped mid swing, cursing under his breath. But when he looked up, a look of confusion colored his features. "What is that supposed to mean? I was under the assumption that we would complete our session of Put Put golf, and afterward go out for ice cream. Is there another course of action that you would prefer more?" He looked even more confused now, great.

She shook her head. "No, no, no. What I meant was, what happens now that the whole thing with Leonard is behind us?" Because despite landing a few roles on commercials thanks to Sheldon, she didn't know what to do with her life.

"What happens now, I believe, is up to you." He said. "Perhaps you could continue to pursue acting, or go somewhere else, doing other things."

Her heart warmed. "This whole ordeal just got me thinking. What if I don't need acting to be happy? What if it just isn't for me?"

"I fail to see the reasoning behind this new thought pattern." He said, puzzled all over again.

"I'm a country girl at heart, sweetie." She took a few steps closer to him. "And maybe a cozy life on the outskirts of some rural town in the heart of nowhere would be exactly what I need."

"And where would I fit in to this dream of yours?" He asked.

She placed her hands on his arms, and ran them along the length of his biceps. "I was maybe hoping you'd come with me."

He realized that the next thing he said could make or break they're relationship, and unlike Leonard, he would not mess it up. "Nothing would make me more pleased than to accompany you."

A smile broke out on her face that spread from ear to ear.

Sheldon seemed to draw away some. "But there is much to do as of yet. I have to prove String Theory."

She chuckled. "Sweetie, just because you aren't at Caltech, doesn't mean that you can't keep working. I've seen you, all you need is a whiteboard and marker."

Sheldon swung, and somehow managed to get farther away from the hole than he was before. "Drat!" He heard Penny giggle behind him, and he scowled at her. "I believe there is merit to your hypothesis, although I don't think there is enough data to proceed."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. When was the last time you actually used the University equipment?"

Sheldon furrowed his brow. "I believe it was last year, when I utilized the super laser to test thermal movement within sheets of Graphene."

"And did that have anything to do with String Theory?" She asked.

He scoffed. "Just because this one circumstance does not support my reasoning, doesn't mean that it happens to lend credence to yours."

She tried a different tactic. "And what is it you believe you need in order to prove it?"

He thought for a second, and seemed to yield some. "A whiteboard and marker."

She laughed. "Exactly my point. You're so damn smart that you don't need any of that stuff. You can just simulate it in your mind."

He seemed to consider her point. "How you manage to defeat me in every argument will elude me for the rest of my life."


End file.
